With Wales behind us (as well as the stomach churning passage to Dublin Bay) we pulled up in front of our Dublin accommodation at the exact same time as my sister's taxi was arriving from the airport. Totally amazed at this coincidence we took it as a sign that only good things can happen from now on.
After 2 1/2 days I can honestly say so far so good.... despite the fact that a few raindrops have fallen here and there and that Dorothy had a late night (unexpected) visitor to her room... It's been good.
After settling in to our rooms we went for a walk around the area, found a grocery store and made ourselves a good dinner while pouring over guidebooks to plan our next moves.
When you are travelling with three people it is best to establish the petty cash, the general route you want to take and the "I really don't want to miss" places clearly marked on your map.
With that done we woke the next morning ready to tackle Dublin city. Our 'home' was not far from the centre. A nice walk along a canal, past nesting swans, towards the River Liffey and our first hop on hop off bus stop. Now I know some of you think we should have just walked or taken the local bus but I have to say these touristy things can be a lot of fun. Not only does it take you to places you don't want to worry about finding in the rain, it gives you a lot of information along with silly jokes.
So the first stop, after buying our heritage pass for Ireland, was the Book of Kells, a site on all our lists. This ancient manuscript is thought to be the work of monks who fled to Kells in AD 806 after a Viking raid. The minute detail in the pictures as well as the script of the four gospels is awe inspiring. Strange to think of men spending hours at this fine work day after day in candle light. Such devotion... or perhaps it was a whole lot better than the men who worked the fields, fought and died just down the road.
In a further appreciation of literature Trinity University boasts a spectacular old library housing 200,000 antiquarian texts as well as the oldest surviving harp in Ireland. The huge library with ladders and spiral staircases was quiet as people wandered through in awe. Couldn't help but think what future generations will think of libraries like that where it could take weeks to find the exact text you want and today you just google it.
Back on the bus... more silly jokes... and a tour of the city before stopping off at the Guinness Brewery. What a history that place has! Mr Guinness negotiated a 9000 year lease at 45 pounds a year with no clause for inflation. This place is massive, right in the middle of Dublin and still paying only 45 pounds (or the Euro equivalent) today. It gets the most visitors of any site and, yes, the Guinness is really best fresh from the factory. Good place to celebrate my birthday!
Back on the bus for more of a tour... on and off with stops for the Archeological Museum and Temple Bar. At the museum we topped up our knowledge of Peat Bogs and Viking conquests while at Temple Bar we topped up another Guinness and our knowledge of the local wildlife of Dublin.
Exhausted at the end of the fist day we dragged ourselves back and Shane & Dorth made me a home made birthday dinner. Even the thought of enthusiastic pub music could not drag our sorry asses out the door one more time.
Day two we were in the car and heading in the general direction of Newgrange. Note to self... do not follow the GPS to a location when the signs on the highway clearly instruct you to go another way. We did find our way to the ancient site only to discover that, just like the guide book says, you can't get in without taking a bus from the visitor's center. We knew that, no, honestly we did. But perhaps we were too thick headed to understand just what it meant. So, with the help of a delightful man who assured us it was "none too brilliant" to have the visitor's centre over the far side of the River Boyne, we followed him to Slane and from there follow the signs. Thirteen kilimeters later we arrived. After a quick coffee we headed for the bus (and more jokes) before heading to Knowth nd later Newgrange. 
There is so much to say about Knowth and Newgrange. Dating back over 6000 years these are ancient burial sights. But more than that they contain mysteries that may never be fully understood. Again there are rocks hauled here to create he mounds that weigh tons. Hauled at a time when there were no wheels to help them. Ceremonial rocks, smaller quartz and granite, were brought from at least 60 km away and used to decorate the main entrances to the tombs. In Newgrange the winter solstice sun shines through the portal stone to the far recess of the inner chamber. As a demonstration the guide turned off all the lights and slowly the sliver of light appeared to crawl along the floor past our feet to chamber. It does not fully illuminate the chamber because the earth has shifted on it's axis over the last few thousand years. It does, however, provide enough light for the people to bring in the ashes of their dead on that sacred day of the year. Amazing to see.
Knowth is no less impressive... actually more impressive in some ways. It would be a blog in itself so I won't go there.
Suffice to say we were all very impressed by the history and by the information we gained from the two guides. Insights in to the trinity and to the cross, which is a symbol in so many religions, as well as the circular decorations that we find everywhere in Ireland.  
Not totally overwhelmed by that experience we drove off to the Hill of Tara where St. Patrick explained the clover leaf and ancient Kings went to be crowned..... closed for the season but still impressive to look around.
From Tara we drove to Trim to check out their castle and eat! More wandering and walking and climbing. Stunning location, huge castle area.
Then did the scenic tour through Swords and Howth before heading back to our home for one more night.
Very good start to our holiday together.  
A couple things about my sister... as some of you know she is a terrific cook. Last night she made an amazing fish soup for us... yummmm. The other thing you have to know is that her late night visitor was the woman who was helping out our landlady..... she thought we'd gone to the pub and was trying to see if the last tenants had indeed left their keys in the room. Surprised both of them for sure.
Today we head to Browne's Hill to check out more family history.... don't know where we will be tonight.